Projectile toy



June 29, 1937.

o. SCHRICKEL PROJECTILE TOY Filed Feb. 4, 1955 Patented June 29, 1937 PATENT OFFICE PROJECTILE TOY Otto Schrickel, Mirror Pools, Mount Healthy,

' Ohio Application February 4, 1935, Serial No. 4,840

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a projectile toy, of a type wherein a ring or short cylinder may be projected either vertically or at any upward inclination not less than degrees, at which inclinations the ring will return to the operator in descending, so that the operator may readily recover it in flight.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for the above purpose, which is simple to operate and very inexpensive to manufacture.'

Another object is to provide a toy of the projectile type which is not capable of inflicting injury upon bystanders or the operator, and which may not be used in such manner as to be de- I structive of property; the device may be used indoors as well as outside of a building.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated, which may be used in playing games, or which may have its projected part or parts decorated or marked so as to present a pleasing color effect or illusion while in flight.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof the device, shown I in readiness for use, the line of flight of the ring I 6 being indicated by broken lines.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan View of the Fig. 1 device.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one part of the ring-projecting and recovering head of the device. a

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental perspective view of the upper shaft end of the device.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The device of the invention comprises a shaft I, preferably circular in cross section, which a ring-projecting character 9. The head may be made spear shaped, or in the shape of a cone or pyramid, if

desired, so that the lower edge In of ring 6 may rest upon the outer edges or narrow faces I2 when the ring is in position thereon. At the lower end of the shaft I is anchored the lower end I3 of a coiled tension spring l4, the upper end of which spring is anchored at I5 upon a rotatable sleeve I6 which is slidable longitudinally of the shaft in opposition to the resistance of the spring. Preferably, though not necessarily, the lower end of shaft I is provided with an enlargement I'I which provides a fixed handle whereby the shaft may be rotated and retracted by the fingers of one hand while the fingers of the other hand hold the sleeve I6. The enlargement or handle Il may be made tubular, and fitted to the shaft end in such manner as to maintain the diametrially disposed spring end I3 securely within the slot 28.

With reference to the upper end I8 of shaft I, it may be stated that the ring-projecting and recovering head 9 may be constructed in any suitable manner, and of any suitable material which, for the purpose of reducing expense, may be of heavy cardboard or like material. Although various modes of assembly and construction may be employed in shaping and fixedly mounting the head upon the upper end of the shaft, 1 have disclosed herein an acceptable construction and mounting means for the head. In accordance with the disclosures of Figs, 3 and 4, the upper end of shaft 1 is provided with a series of radial slots or cross-cuts i8, I5, 28 and ill, said slots or cuts being adapted to receive the four wings or vanes I80, I98, I2!) and IZI of the pair of head parts or constituents 22 and 23. As will be understood, the head part 22 is identical with the head part23, and it comprises a triangular sheet of material bent along a score line 24 extending from an apex 25 perpendicularly to the opposite edge of base 26. The wings or vanes I SI] and I95 are extended substantially at right anglesto one another as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. The vanes or wings I and Hit are secured within the slots IBand I9, whereas the vanes I 26 and I2I are similarly secured within the opposite slots or seats 20 and 2 I, this being clearlyillustrated in Fig. 2. If desired, cement or glue or other fastening means may be employed to maintain the head parts or constituents in fixed relationship with the upper end of the shaft, I

The operation of the device is as follows:

The operator of the device, after placing one or more ringssuch as 6 and 6B upon the spear head, holds the sleeve It with thefingers of the left hand, while the fingers of the right hand are applied to the handle end IT for the purpose of slightly rotating the shaft '3' while at the same time withdrawing the shaft downwardly through the sleeve. By releasing the hold on the handle end I? and maintaining a hold on the sleeve 56, the shaft "I will have imparted thereto a sudden upward and rotational movement which acts to project the ring or rings into the air along a definite line of flight while the ring rotates about its imaginary center. The ring, being of light weight and of thin material, will travel upwardly along a substantially straight line of flight and after reaching a predetermined height will descend along substantially the same line of flight so that the operator may readily recover the ring in flight by catching it upon the head 9. The

device is then ready for a subsequent actuation.

acteristics of the rings, it may be stated that each ring is a short transverse section or length of a substantially true cylinder. To obtain the best results, the ring or rings are constructed of thin light-weight material. The ring may be projected either vertically or at any upward inclination, but to insure the return of the ring to the operator, the inclination should be not less than approximately 45 degrees.

It will readily be evident that the device of this invention is simple to operate and very inexpensive to manufacture, and that it is not capable of inflicting injury to persons or destruction to property. The device may be used in playing games of skill, either indoors or outdoors, or it may be decorated or marked for securing pleasing color effects or illusions.

'As stated above, the ring-projecting and recovering head may be of any suitable shape, or constructed in any approved manner for fixation thereof to the upper end of the shaft 1. The lower, end l3 of the spring l4 may be fixed directly to the lower end of shaft 1, without employing a fixed handle such as IT. It is to be understood that various other modifications and changes in the structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A returning-projectile toy comprising the combination of a thin-walled light-weight tube of a height greatly exceeding the thickness of its wall, and means including a shaft with a tube support fixed thereto, for imparting to the tube a projecting force and a rotational movement of suflicient velocity to cause the tube to generate a cylinder of rotation on ascending to a maximum elevation, and to return substantially to its starting point along substantially the same path of movement.

2. A device of the class describedcomprising in combination: a thin-walled light-weight tube of a height exceeding the thickness of its wall,

.a head for supporting the tube in position to be projected into the air, a shaft to be inclined from the vertical supporting the head in fixed relation thereto, and means to impart to the shaft and head a sudden projecting force and a rotational movement of sufficient velocity for projecting the tube upwardly to a maximum height along a line of flight substantially axially of the inclined shaft, and for rotating the tube for generating a'cylinder of rotation substantially co-axial with the axis of the shaft during both the ascent and descent of the tube, whereby the tube in descent returns substantially to its initial position upon the supporting head.

3. A device of the class described comprising in combination: a projectile ring of thin-walled light-weight tubing, a head tapering gradually to a size larger than the ring interior for supporting the ring in position to be projected into the air, a shaft fixed to the head, and means for simultaneously imparting to the shaft and head a sudden projecting force and a rotational movement, whereby the ring is rapidly rotated about its axis as it leaves its position upon the tapered head.

4. A device of the class described comprising in combination: a projectile ring having the shape of a short transverse section of thin-walled tubing, and means for projecting said ring upwardly with an axially rotating movement along a line of flight, so as to generate a cylinder of rotation which is substantially coaxial with the line of flight, said projecting means including a shaft having a handle end and an opposite end, a finger grip element rotationally and slidably supported by the shaft intermediate the shaft ends, a spring having opposite ends fixed to the handle end of the shaft and to the finger grip element, respectively, to afford yielding relative movements of said handle end and finger grip element both rotationally and longitudinally, and a ring-supporting head tapered gradually to a size larger than the ring interior, fixedly mounted on the opposite end of the shaft.

5. A device of the class described comprising in combination: a projectile ring having the shape of a short transverse section of thin-walled tubing, and means for projecting said ring upwardly with an axially rotating movement so as to sustain itself along a line of flight inclined from the vertical, by generating a cylinder of rotation which is substantially coaxial with the line of flight, said projecting means including a shaft having a handle end and an opposite end, a finger grip element rotationally and slidably supported by the shaft intermediate the shaft ends, a spring having opposite ends fixed to the handle end of the shaft and to the finger grip element, respectively, to afford yielding relative movements of said handle end and finger grip element both rotationally and longitudinally, and a ring-supporting head on the opposite end of the shaft, shaped to initially support the ring substantially at right angles to the shaft and to receive the descending ring in flight.

6. A device of the class described comprising in combination: a projectable ring having the shape of a short transverse section of thin walled cylindrical tubing, and means for projecting said ring upwardly with an axially rotating movement along a line of flight which is inclined relative to the vertical, so as to generate a cylinder of rotation which is substantially coaxial with the line of flight during both the ascent and descent of the ring, said projecting means comprising a shaft with a ring-supporting and projecting head fixed thereon, and means for imparting to the head a sudden projectile movement and a' simultaneous rotational movement of sufficient force to project the ring in substantially the manner stated.

7. A device of the class described comprising in combination: a projectable ring having the shape of a short transverse section of thin walled cylindrical tubing, and means for projecting said ring upwardly with an axially rotating movement along a line of flight, so as to generate a cylinder of rotation which is substantially coaxial with the line of flight, said projecting means comprising a shaft with a ring-supporting and projecting head thereon, and manually operated yielding means for imparting to the head a sudden projectile movement and a simultaneous rotational movement of sufficient force to project the ring in substantially the manner stated.

OTTO SCI-IRICKEL. 

